The showdown on Saturday night was nothing short of a wild ride, with the Bulldogs giving it their all in the final quarter. However, their rivals, Alabama, managed to turn the tide at the last minute, overcoming a seven-point deficit to snatch a 41-34 victory.
For the Bulldogs, it was a challenging day, and head coach Kirby Smart had a particularly rough time. One stat stands out and stings for Smart: Georgia’s slow start was the worst they’ve had in years. They stumbled out of the gate, and by halftime, Alabama was dominating with a commanding 30-7 lead. This 23-point gap marked the largest halftime deficit Smart has faced since he took over as head coach in 2016. The last time Georgia found themselves in such a predicament was back on September 24, 2016, when Hugh Freeze’s Ole Miss team led the Bulldogs 31-0 at halftime.
While one tough game shouldn’t derail Smart’s progress, it raises concerns. Just a week earlier, Georgia found themselves trailing unranked Kentucky 6-3 at halftime, marking the first time since 2016 that they faced back-to-back halftime deficits. As noted by Derek Peterson from Saturday Down South, this also highlights that in the last five years, Georgia has only trailed at halftime in 12 games, which is just 17% of all their matches.
In their game against Alabama, it was clear that quarterback Carson Beck struggled, throwing three interceptions and fumbling the ball at a crucial moment in the second half. With the playoffs on the horizon, Smart and the Bulldogs will need to regroup and step up their game; otherwise, they could face serious consequences as the season progresses.
